Earlier this month, we traveled to Chicago to help our client ShareBuilder 401k promote their solo and group 401(k) plans. This project took us to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, an amazing nonprofit with a life-saving mission of saving tiny lives.
The Mother’s Milk Bank, located in Elm Grove, Illinois, collects donated breast milk for mothers with babies who cannot nurse, can’t tolerate formula, have special health conditions, and other reasons. Serving over 90 hospitals and thousands of families, the Bank was recently recognized as one of the coolest things made in Illinois. If that sounds like an unusual distinction for a milk bank, that’s because the Bank pasteurizes and distributes milk inside their facility. It also just passed 4 million ounces of donated milk… which is an incredible milestone!
We had the priviledge of being part of interviews with two bank employees along with its Executive Director, Summer Kelly – who is also one of this incredible organization’s founders. We loved Summer’s passion for not only her work, but for progessive work practices that support the staff that helps make this work possible.
Tucked away in the back of the facility is a room called “Poppy’s Dream.” Unlike the rest of the building which is simply decorated with cool colors, this room had wall-to-wall murals with bright yellow stars everywhere. This area, which is quite large with high ceilings, feels very different than the rest of the bank. It doesn’t feel work-oriented or simple. It feels full, warm and complex.
We learned that this room pays tribute to dozens of babies who passed away. Many of their mothers donated milk in memory of these babies, providing life-saving sustenance for other babies. The room serves as a poignant reminder of the struggles so many moms endure, whether it be the loss of a child or health complications. See below Susan Urbanski, who donated milk in memory of her niece Julia.
To learn more about this incredible organization, visit their website.
